Troodon (Jurassic Park)
thumb|400px Troodon pectinodon is a small carnivorous dinosaur and lazarus species resurrected by Dr. Laura Sorkin for inclusion in InGen's dinosaur-themed Jurassic Park. Before its inclusion in the park, it was not known in the fossil record. Unlike the park's Dilophosaurus, it was not genetically altered by scientists to fill its DNA gaps and instead appears as it did millions of years prior. Physiology Unlike other known Troodons, T. pectinodon was discovered to be an apex predator. They had significantly thicker and larger heads, as well as larger eyes and are not only venomous but also parasitic in nature. Hunting nocturnally, they utilize a tapetum lucidum: a tissue in the eyes that reflects light through the retina in order to see better in the dark, akin to a cat; this also leaves their pupils occasionally glowing blue. As a drawback to this, they are unable to stand intense light and can be held at bay with a simple road flare. Like other Troodons, they have a slender body and very long legs with specialized feet, in which the middle long bone has been pinched out at the top in order to form a shock-absorbing wedge which allows them to run at a very fast clip. To compensate for this they have a long, whip-like tail for stabilization. They have very large eyes (though certainly larger than other known species) with stereoscopic vision for predatory purposes, and are infamous for having one of the largest brains in comparison to body size of any dinosaur, thereby making them amongst the most intelligent as well. Their dentition consists of a jaw full of numerous small, comb-like teeth, which is known in at least T. pectinodon to allow them not only to eat meat but also plant material as well—this is how they obtain their poisonous bite. It is not proven but is believed that they are highly opportunistic and will eat not only small animals, lizards and baby dinosaurs but also insects and eggs as well as the aforementioned plant material. They have a pale-colored body, with dark dorsal stripes and a red underbelly. While other Troodons were fully feathered, T. pectinodon is notably bald, only possessing a series of quills or spines that run down their back. No known evidence exists to confirm whether these are protofeathers or are instead collagenous in nature. Vocalizations consist of sinister-sounding clicks, similar to those of either a crows or ravens. When attacking they will emit a low snarling sound, and when excited, will make a guttural screeching noise similar to that of an elk. The reverberating sounds of their vocalization is enough to send other dinosaurs fleeing in fright, including other intelligent predator species such as velociraptor. It is believed that the Troodons most likely use these sinister calls to instill fear within the minds of other dinosaurs. Venom Troodon pectinodon utilizes a powerful venom to paralyze their prey. However, it is not a natural secretion and is instead created by ingesting poisonous plants, which hints at the dinosaurs' foresight and coordination. The toxins are released into the bloodstream through the bite and cause hallucinations, leaving the victim to slowly suffer as they grow more and more disoriented. Unless quickly treated by an equally powerful tranquilizer, the infection will cause the victim to go into a series of convulsions, including uncontrollable shaking, with the final stage being paralysis and brain death. This style of venom is similar to that used by the komodo dragon. However they will only allow this venom to run its course if they are intending to breed, and will otherwise simply devour their victim alive, often accompanied by other members of their pack. Once anesthetized, the Troodon drags the still-living body into a secluded area and rips open the abdomen with its claws and teeth. They then will lay their eggs in the mangled torso and incubates them there until they hatch. It is presumed that the hatchlings then proceed to eat the corpse from the inside out. It is likely that this method also allows the Troodon to not need to worry about keeping the eggs at a specific temperature, with the body initially keeping the eggs warm and then protecting them somewhat from the elements. This method of rearing young is similar to though sufficiently different from that used by most species of Spider Wasp, which lay their eggs inside the bodies of tarantulas and other spiders. Background History Isla Sorna's Troodon pectinodons were one of the unlisted species in Jurassic Park, as they were personally deemed to be far too dangerous and hard to handle by John Hammond himself, who also considered them to possess little tourism appeal. Because of this, he wanted the lot of them to simply be euthanized. Despite this, Dr. Sorkin secretly chose to keep them in a secret corner of the park, inside the Quarantine Pens until further notice. Due to direct and indirect sabotage by Dennis Nedry, they came to eventually escape their pen and wreak massive damage and chaos during the Isla Nublar Incident. Now free to roam the island, they stalked other victims, and a pack was reported to travel all the way from the East Dock to the Visitor Center itself, where they remained until survivors caught their attention and they followed them. However, they gave up when they reached the Marine Exhibit, possibly out of fear of the local Mosasaurus. Soon after they were wiped out by napalm bombing, though it is possible that some may have survived by inadvertently hiding in the park's tunnel system. Appearances *''Jurassic Park: The Game'' Trivia *''T. pectinodon'' is not a real-life species of the animal; rather, it is named after the genus Pectinodon, a very close relative of Troodon. *Despite being so fearsome and deadly, even the Troodon have a fear and weakness - they appear to be blinded, even afraid of flares or any light at all; almost all of their hunting activities are done at night. Category:Jurassic Park Category:Enemies Category:Species Category:Animals Category:Reptiles Category:Dinosaurs